Envelop-opener



(No Model.)

W. YATES. ENVELOP OPENER.

Patented June 28, 1898.

WZZWESSES LITHQ. vasnmav Nrrn WILLIAM YATES, OF RICHMOND, WASHINGTON.

ENVELOP-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,261, dated June 28,1898.

Application filed July 14, 1897.

To all whom; it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Yarns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of King and State of Washington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Openers;and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in envelop-openersand it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for quickly openingsealed envelops, the construction of which is to embrace a bladedplunger and means for regulating the depth of the out, which object isattained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an envelop-opener asmade in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection through Fig. 1, a portion of the plungerspindle being removed.

Referring to the numerals of reference, 1 and 2 designate the sidepieces, which have the movable strips 3 6 and the stationary strips 4 5extending therebetween and are tied by suitable rods 7. 8 represents aplatform which extends between said sides 1 and 2, near their frontedges, and is rigidly secured thereto. Passing immovably longi tudinallythrough apertures in strip 6 are screws 9, the inner ends of which arethreaded and adapted to screw into strip 5. Securely mounted upon theupper face of said strip 5 is a plate 10, the stationary member of thecutter. It will thus be seen that by turning screws 9 the horizontaladjustment of the plate 10 may be minutely regulated.

11 designates the plunger, which is adapted to be moved vertically inguideways 12, which are formed in the inner faces of said side pieces 1and 2. Fastened by means of screws or other suitable devices upon thelower angled edge of said plunger is a knife 13, hav

Serial No. 644,508- (No-model.)

in g a spur 14: depending from its lowest point, for apurposehereinafter referred to, and projecting from the upper edge of saidplunger is a spindle 15, which passes through the center of a tie-piece16. Mounted upon the upper edge of said spindle is a depressing but tonor knob 17, and surrounding said spindle between said knob and tie-pieceis a coiled spring 18, said spring having such tension as to exert anupper pressure against said knob sufficient to keep plunger 11 normallyin a raised position.

Projecting through strip 3 at the rear of the side pieces are screws 19,(only one of such screws being shown in the drawings,) said screws beingheld against longitudinal movement through said strips by means ofcollars 20. The inner ends of said screws are threaded and are adaptedto screw into strip 4, whereby its horizontal adjustment may beeffected. Mounted upon the upper side of said strip 4 is a guide-plate21, said plate being rectangular in cross-section.

The operation of opening a sealed envelop is accomplished by passingsuch envelop horizontally over platform 8 and moving it inward until oneend thereof comes in contact with guide-plate 21, when it is held insuch position by one hand and the other employed to strike downward uponknob 17 With sufficient force to overcome the tension of spring 18 andcarry plunger 11 and blade 13 downward, the arrangement being such thata shearing cut will be efiected.

The purpose of spur 14: is to obviate the liability of blade 13 movinghorizontally in the direction of plate 10 when raised there above, inconsequence of which it would strike upon the edge thereof in a downwardmovement and prevent a successful operation.

It will thus be seen that the construction and arrangement of partshereinbefore set forth produces an envelop-opener that may be cheaplymanufactured and is one in which the cutting-blade, as well as theguide-plate, may be quickly and minutely adjusted.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- An envelop-opener, consistingof uprights 1 and 2, strips 3, 6 and 16 extending there the movablestrip 5, upon which a cutterplate 10 is mounted, the adj Listing-screw19 journaled in said strip 3 and screwed into said strip 4, the angledgage-plate mounted upon the upper side of said strip 4, and the partsadapted to be operated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM YATES. Witnesses:

GEO. S.'BUSH, H. O. PERKINS.

